Welcome to the Work Life Lab! This is a space for exploring what works and what doesn't when trying to balance your busy work and home life. We all want the same thing- better results for the time we put in. Here I try, test, and tell you about what happens when I test ways to better get the outcomes I want. My intent is to share what works for me in the hopes that it'll work for you too. Thanks for reading!

I recently wrote about making the most of chance encounters with your boss- like in an elevator. The situation is familiar. You're leaving the office and bump into your boss or another senior manager and think, "wow, what luck!" and then, "crap, what can I say to sound smart/competent/capable/promote-able, etc."

To me, the safest bet is to reference back something they've said and ask a follow-up question... nothing too probing. "Hi Susan, nice to see you. Hey, I read your corporate update last month and you mentioned your interest in forming new corporate partnerships. What kind of organizations did you have in mind?"

Pretty straightforward. However, writing this got me thinking about some of the more awkward possibilities. My list of "not to do's" included things like asking...

For a raise

Why everyone hates them, or

How they're holding up since their wife left

For fun or torture, here's are 10 things you could dare your friends to say or do when they see their boss-- or anyone else for that matter- in an elevator.

point of View

The Work Life Lab is a place to explore ways to strike a better balance. professionally and personally. Getting the outcomes you want with more positive impact requires a new mindset and a different way of working. It involves knowing what matters most, focusing your efforts, and managing your time. I believe small changes can create big results. And, I believe in you.

Work Life Lab by Robin Camarote

Finding balance through trial and error

The Work Life Lab is a place to explore what works- and what doesn't- when trying to strike that elusive sense of work-life balance. I'm a working mom with three kids. I try things and share my experiences with the hopes that some of the best strategies might work for you too.